About Chuqualatague Incalatanga Taltsuska "Doublehead"

Doublehead (1744–1807) or Incalatanga (Tal-tsu'tsa in Cherokee), was one of the most feared warriors of the Cherokee during the Chickamauga Wars. In 1788, his brother, Old Tassel, was chief of the Cherokee people, but was killed under a truce (negotiating peace) by frontier rangers. In 1791 Doublehead was among a delegation of Cherokees who visited U.S. President George Washington in Philadelphia. After the peace treaty at the Tellico Blockhouse in 1794, Doublehead served as one of the leaders of the Chickamauga (or "Lower Cherokee"). Upon the death of his nephew, Principal Chief John Watts, in 1802, Doublehead was chosen as leader of the Chickamauga (taking on the title Chuqualataque).

Personal life

It is thought that Doublehead's father was Great Eagle (or Willenewa), a nephew of Chief Old Hop and a cousin of Chief Attakullakulla (or Little Carpenter). One of his brothers was Old Tassel, killed while treating with the lost State of Franklin. Two of his relatives, Tahlonteeskee and John Jolly, were also leaders among the Chickamauga and both later became Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation—West. Doublehead's last wife was Nancy Drumgoole. Their youngest son, Bird Doublehead, was only twelve years old at the time of Doublehead's assassination.

Living in the Overhill Towns on the Little Tennessee River, he took only sporadic part in the campaigns of Dragging Canoe, until the murder of his brother, and another pacifist chief, Abraham of Chilhowee, under a flag of truce during an embassy to the State of Franklin in 1788. Thereafter, he became one of the most vicious fighters —and able leaders —of the Cherokee at war.

Beginnings as a war leader

His first act in his new crusade was to lead a party of warriors in concert with those of Dragging Canoe in an assault on White's Fort in East Tennessee that same year. Thereafter, he and his warriors operated somewhat independently, though occasionally joining Dragging Canoe's campaigns, operating from his new settlement of Coldwater at the head of the Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee River in what is now the state of Alabama. The location at the time was within the territory claimed by the Chickasaw, but Doublehead solved that problem by marrying two daughters to George Colbert, the chief of the Chickasaw town at the foot of the Shoals. Doublehead's band included not only Cherokee, but Muskogee, Shawnee, and renegade Chickasaw (whose council and chiefs were adamantly opposed to the wars).

Activities in later years of the wars

Beginning in 1791, he began operating closely with the parties of his great-nephew, Bob Benge, who was to become one of the most feared warriors on the frontier, and Benge's brother, The Tail, who were then based in Willstown. Following the death of Dragging Canoe in 1792, he became part of a triumvirate of leaders among the Chickamauga, along with Bloody Fellow and his nephew, John Watts, who was recognized as the chief of them.

In September 1792, Watts orchestrated a large campaign into the Cumberland region of combined Cherokee and Muskogee forces which included a contingent of cavalry. It was to be a three-pronged attack in which Tahlonteeskee (or Talotiskee) of the Muskogee (who was either a Creek chief or a relative of Doublehead by that name) led a force to ambush the Kentucky road; Middle Striker led another to do the same on the Walton road; while Watts himself led the main army which was made up of 280 Cherokee, Shawnee, and Muskogee warriors and cavalry, against a settlement on the Cumberland River known as Buchanan's Station on Sept. 30, 1792. Among the attackers were the Shawnee Warrior (also known as Chiksika, or Cheeseekau), Tahlonteeskee, and Dragging Canoe's brother, Little Owl, all of whom died in the encounter. Also killed in the attack was Pumpkin Boy, a younger brother of Doublehead. One an earlier occasion, Doublehead, Pumpkin Boy, and their nephew Bob Benge, had led a raid into southwestern Kentucky during which their warriors, in an act initiated by Doublehead, cannibalized the enemies they had just killed. Their act was in imitation of the Iroquois, particularly the Mohawk, who did so to intimidate their enemies (especially during the Beaver Wars). Though every warrior present partook, Benge never operated with Doublehead afterward, sickened at his actions and at his own, nor did the later leader, The Ridge, who also took part.

Beginning of his troubles with James Vann

In 1793, a delegation of Shawnee stopped in Ustanali, the principal city of the Cherokee, on their way to call on the Muskogee and Choctaw to punish the Chickasaw for joining St. Clair's army in the north. Watts sent envoys to Knoxville, then the capital of the Southwest Territory, to meet with Governor William Blount to discuss terms for peace. This party, which included Bob McLemore, Tahlonteeskee, Captain Charley of Running Water, and Doublehead, along with the white delegation, was attacked by militia during a stop at the Overhill town of Coyatee. Hanging Maw (one of two men claiming the title of "First Beloved Man") was wounded, and several others, including his wife, daughter, and one of the white delegates were killed. The Cherokee (and, amazingly, Watts' hostile Chickamauga warriors) agreed to await the outcome of the subsequent trial, which proved to be a farce. This was in large part because the man responsible was a close friend of John Sevier.

Watts responded by invading the Holston area with one of the largest Indian forces ever seen in the region —over one thousand Cherokee, Muskogee, and Shawnee —intending to attack Knoxville itself. On the way, the Cherokee leaders were discussing among themselves whether to kill all the inhabitants of Knoxville, or just the men, James Vann advocating the latter while Doublehead argued for the former. Further on the way, they encountered a small settlement called Cavett's Station. After they had surrounded the place, Benge negotiated with the inhabitants, agreeing that if they surrendered, their lives would be spared. However, after the settlers had walked out, Doublehead's group and his Muskogee allies attacked and began killing them over the pleas of Benge and the others. Vann managed to grab one small boy and pull him onto his saddle, only to have Doublehead smash the boy's skull with an axe. Watts intervened in time to save another young boy, handing him to Vann, who put the boy behind him on his horse and later handed him over to three of the Muskogee for safe-keeping. Unfortunately, one of the Muskogee chiefs killed the boy and scalped him a few days later.

Because of the above incident, Vann called Doublehead "Babykiller" for the remainder of his life. This incident also began a lengthy feud which defined the politics of the early 19th century Cherokee Nation.

After the wars

Doublehead, as well as being one of the leaders of the Lower Towns, was elected first Speaker of the Cherokee National Council, when the Cherokee formed its first nascent national government, in 1794. He became one of the foremost advocates of acculturation and one of the richest men in The Cherokee Nation —the Lower Towns then being the wealthiest section of the entire country. He was also a chief advocate of land sales, along with several older chiefs in the Lower Towns, whose number included Dragging Canoe's brother, Turtle at Home. This only increased the enmity between him and his chief rival, James Vann, who was the richest man in "The Nation."

Death

In August 1807, because of his ongoing machinations with U.S. Indian Affairs Commissioner Return J. Meigs, Jr. regarding under-the-table land deals, as well as personal animosity going back nearly two decades, several of the younger leaders of the Nation, led by James Vann, conspired to assassinate Doublehead. Meanwhile, Doublehead lost part of his thumb in a scuffle with a Cherokee named Bone Polisher. Vann, because of his personal animosity toward Doublehead going back nearly two decades, had initially planned to lead the assault, but had become too drunk to take part. The Ridge (later known as Major Ridge) and Alexander Sanders, shot the injured chief in McIntosh's Tavern at the Hiwassee Garrison near the Cherokee Agency (now Calhoun, Tennessee). The badly wounded Doublehead sought safety in the attic of schoolmaster Jonathan Blacke's house, where the assassins finished the job with knives and tomahawks.[2] Upon news of Doublehead's death, several white business associates of the old chief rushed to his settlement at Mussel Shoals, to remove as much portable property (livestock, trade goods, and slaves) as they could. These men were Samuel Riley, Jr. (who married two of Doublehead's daughters), James Chisolm (uncle of Jesse Chisholm, and Thomas Norris Clark (founder of Kingston, TN). Among the booty was Doubleheads prized race horse, "Postman."

A historical irony deserves mention here. Walker's Ferry on the Hiwasssee River was owned by John Walker, Jr., a mixed blood who was one of Vann's associates. In July 1834, because of his advocacy of removal in the years leading up to the Treaty of New Echota, Walker was assassinated on the road home from Red Clay, TN after a meeting of the Cherokee National Council. His killers were James Foreman and his half brother Anderson Springston. In June 1839 after the Cherokee Removal to Indian Territory, Major Ridge, his son John Ridge, and nephew Elias Boudinot (Cherokee) were accused of the same crime as that of Doublehead and themselves became the targets of assassins. Among the killers of Major Ridge were James Foreman, Anderson Springston, Isaac Springston, and Bird Doublehead. They were all maternal half-brothers whose mother was Nancy Drumgoole, last wife of Doublehead. Their son, Bird Doublehead, was twelve years old and residing at the home of Thomas Norris Clark when his father, Doublehead, was murdered by the Cherokee assassins, Alexander Sanders and Major Ridge. -------------------- DoubleHead

Doublehead, brother of Old Tassel. The Cherokee term for Doublehead was Tultsuska or Taliwuaska-skule. He was sometimes called Autowee and "Kill Baby". Autowee may be the same term as Ahtowhee or "Walking". After 1800, he lived near the present site of Center Star, Alabama. He was murdered by Alexander Sanders at Hiwassee Ferry in the Summer of 1807. He was a Cherokee man.

Tal=tsu'ska': "Two-heads", from ta'li, two, and tsu'ska', plural of uska', (his) head. A Cherokee chief about the year 1800, known to the whites as Doublehead. Doublehead's Indian name has also been listed as Dsu-gwe-la-de-gi and as Chuqualatague.

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Charles Hicks, Alexander Saunders, and Major Ridge assassinated him on August 9, 1807 in McIntosh Tavern, Hiawassee, Tennessee.

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Chief DOUBLEHEAD was a very prominent War Chief. He collected a multitude of scalps and, was the custom of many Native Americans (although it is politically incorrect to mention this now) ceremonially ate portions of the enemies he killed in battle. These were cruel times and the fight for the frontier was fierce, unrelenting, and without any quarter. Whites killed Native Americans and Native Americans killed whites. Neither side respected the gender nor age of their victims. In fact, Cherokee women and children were particular targets of the white settlers under the slogan "from nits grow lice".

Samuel Riley, along with James Chisolm and Thomas Norris Clark, were three white men who seized much of the property (mostly slaves) of Chief Doublehead after his assassination in 1807. Chisolm and Clard were business partners of Chief Doublehead; Riley may well have been his son-in-law.

Chief Doublehead, the Cherokee Cannibal

For longer than anyone could remember, the Tennessee Valley had been the

ancestral hunting grounds of the Cherokee, Chickasaw and Creek nations. This

was a land where Indians could live peacefully without fear of encroachment

from the whites.

By the late 1700s, however, times began to change as white settlers from

Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia began moving onto the Indian lands.

The great Indian nations, decimated by war and fragmented by internal strife,

could no longer offer resistance. Only one man stood in the way of this

movement.

Part cannibal, part savage and part statesman, Chief Doublehead would leave

his bloody mark on the pages of the Tennessee Valley's history.

Doublehead was born into the Cherokee aristocracy in the Cumberland foothills

of Tennessee. His father had been a ferocious warrior, well-known for his

bravery and his brother, Tassel, was a principal chief and statesman. His

oldest sister, Wurteh, married a white man, Nathan Gist, and produced a son

who was destined to become the greatest of all Cherokees, Sequoyah. Another

sister married a white soldier and their son, John Watts, became the Chief of

Chiefs among the Cherokee Nation.

The Indian nations were a scene of much turmoil during Doublehead's youth.

Part of the tribes wanted to fight the white men who were taking their lands,

while others, guided by their heads rather than their hearts, charted a

course of peaceful cooperation.

To say that Doublehead was a rebellious youth would be an understatement.

Even as a child, barely out of puberty, Doublehead began leading raiding

parties against white settlers. Although too young to fight, the youths would

lie in wait until the settlers were away from home, then sneak in, burn their

cabins and run off the livestock.

Soon tiring of this, Doublehead began to look for other ways to harass the

settlers. The isolated settlements depended on traveling peddlers for

necessities such as salt, gunpowder and cloth. Realizing this, Doublehead

fanned his group of teenage warriors out across the wilderness trails where

they laid in ambush. Within a short while no peddler dared to enter the

territory unless provided with a large armed escort. The few brave souls who

did go alone met with a premature, and often gruesome death.

Doublehead purposely cultivated his image as a bloodthirsty savage. Though

the taking of scalps was not common among the Cherokees, he quickly made it

his trademark. Even more grisly was his habit of cannibalizing his enemies'

bodies. After a successful raid he would cut a piece of flesh from one of his

victims, and often with blood running down his chin, eat it as a sign of the

conquered's impotence. Afterwards, he would demand that his warriors, as a

symbolic blood oath, do the same.

Years later, when in Philadelphia meeting with President George Washington,

an inquisitive reporter asked Doublehead's opinion of the white race. Without

even giving the matter a moment's thought, the chief replied: "Too salty."

In order to keep his warriors loyal to him, Doublehead knew he had to do more

than merely lead them on raiding parties. He made the acquaintance of several

white traders who quickly met an untimely death. Soon he was selling their

goods to stores in the white settlements. Doublehead made enough money to

supply his band with guns, powder and other items not normally available to

the Indians.

Despite Doublehead's growing popularity among the tribes, his days of running

wild throughout the Cumberlands were numbered. The whites were putting

increasing pressure on the Indians as a result of the raids and even many of

had been killed in a recent raid against the whites and he was still bitter

about it when he entered a village and saw a small white child mounted on a

horse behind his nephew, John Watts. Watts had captured the child while

assaulting a white settlement, and as was Cherokee custom, had taken the

child to raise as his own.

With a wild scream of uncontrollable rage, Doublehead charged, burying his

tomahawk deeply in the body of the small child. Afterwards for the rest of

his life he was known as "Kill Baby" to many of the Indians who were shocked

by the ghastly incident.

Suddenly and with no apparent reason, in 1794 Doublehead abruptly quit the

warpath. Almost immediately he began displaying a new found wealth. Indian

couriers were sent to Nashville on a regular basis to purchase furniture and

other items for his house. He became a collector of fine race horses, once

sending all the way to Charleston, South Carolina to purchase one that had

captured his fancy. He even began to dress the part of a wealthy man.

The source of his wealth became an item of speculation for people who knew

him. Especially intriguing was the fact that much of his wealth seemed to be

in the form of bars of silver bullion. At first it was supposed that this was

treasure he had stolen during his days on the warpath, but as time went on

people realized there had to be another answer.

Before long everyone in his tribe was wondering about the source of the

bullion. According to legend, Doublehead once asked two of his warriors to

accompany him on a trip. After walking for days he finally led them to a cave

where a great quantity of silver was stored. The men loaded as much as they

could carry in backpacks before returning to the village, where Doublehead

warned the Indians against ever revealing his secret, under pain of death.

Quite naturally, as Doublehead had expected, later that night one of the

Indians revealed to his wife what he had seen. Doublehead, who was lurking

outside the cabin listening, immediately burst into the cabin and killed the

hapless Indian.

No one in Doublehead's tribe ever again spoke of the mysterious silver

bullion.

Though secure in his new found wealth, Doublehead still took his life in his

hands when he traveled outside of the Indian lands. For the people whose

relatives had been murdered by Doublehead, there could be no forgiveness.

In 1794, a leading group of Cherokees had been invited to Philadelphia to

meet with the president, and Doublehead, aware of the political ramifications

of such a visit, appointed himself as the spokesman. With his tall,

foreboding looks and dressed in an elaborate costume, he was the center of

attention. People nudged and poked one another to catch a glimpse of the man

reputed to be the most bloodthirsty savage in America.

Doublehead undoubtedly capitalized on his reputation, for when he left,

Secretary of War Henry Knox awarded him an annual annuity of $5,000. Knox

probably realized this was cheaper than having Doublehead return to the

warpath.

This also placed Doublehead under the protection of the United States

Government, much to the ire of the whites who had lost their homes and

relatives to his murderous band.

Doublehead quickly settled into his new life-style. He made frequent trips to

New Orleans, Pensacola, Charleston and even visited New York once, where he

was described as "the classic example of the noble savage." Strangely enough,

Doublehead, who once feasted on his enemies' bodies, even visited some of the

finer restaurants and attended a play while in New York.

Unfortunately, although Doublehead had become wealthy and was prospering, the

Cherokee nation was not. Every year with every treaty the Indian lands became

smaller. John Hunt had already settled near the Big Spring in northern

Alabama and more settlers were pouring in every day.

In January of 1806, Doublehead and the other chiefs of the Cherokee nation

signed a treaty giving up all the land lying between the Tennessee and Duck

rivers. Unbeknownst to the other chiefs, Doublehead had negotiated a secret

agreement with the Indian agent where he received a large tract of land,

numbering in the tens of thousands of acres, in exchange for signing the

treaty.

If Doublehead was hoping his duplicity in the treaty would go undiscovered he

was sadly mistaken. Several months later, while attending an Indian ball game

at Hiwassee, in the Indian Nation, he was accosted by a fellow chief named

Bone Polisher, who loudly denounced him and called him a traitor to his

people.

As matters reached the boiling point, Bone Polisher drew his tomahawk and

rushed Doublehead, swinging wildly at his head. Doublehead, despite having

received numerous wounds managed to shoot his assailant through the heart.

Onlookers carried the wounded chief to McIntosh's Tavern where they sought

assistance. Instead of help, however, they were confronted by another group

of angry accusers who also called Doublehead a traitor. Someone in the tavern

(it's never been established who) extinguished the light. Instantly, as soon

as the tavern went dark, a shot rang out. When finally the light was relit.

Doublehead was lying on the floor mortally wounded.

Friends hastily carried the chief across the field to the home of the

schoolmaster where they attempted to hide him. Unfortunately, his blood trail

was easy to follow and within minutes another group of avengers appeared to

finish the task.

Doublehead, the scourge of the Tennessee Valley, was dead.

Doublehead's death signaled the end of the Cherokees in North Alabama. Though

they would remain here for another thirty years, they would never again be a

powerful force.

Almost immediately after Doublehead's death, people began searching for the

source of his wealth. In 1840 two prominent men of the Shoals area, Levi

Cassity and James Thompson found a cave that they believed to be the source

of Doublehead's treasure trove. In the cave they found tools and crucibles

used for melting silver. Many of the tools still had traces of silver on

them.

But there was no mine or any ore. The closest thing resembling a treasure

were a few old Spanish coins retrieved from the cave floor.

Were the coins part of Doublehead's treasure? Many people think so. When

Hernando de Soto visited North Alabama during his explorations he was alleged

to have hidden a large amount of silver coins somewhere in present day

Jackson County. Could Doublehead have stumbled across the treasure and

transported part of it to a cave closer to where he lived? If so, it would

explain the tools and crucibles, as many people who would readily accept

bullion would not take two hundred year old Spanish coins.

We will never know, for as Doublehead once said, "When I die, my secrets are

forever buried. -------------------- •ID: I61041 •Name: Chief Doublehead •Given Name: Chief •Surname: Doublehead •Sex: M •_UID: A5044FB7D0C42F479D7B0E06D33292108C77 •Change Date: 24 Jul 2008 •Note: He was a Cherokee Indian Chief about the year 1800. He was knownto the whites as Chief Doublehead, his Indian name has also been listed as Dsu-gwe-la-de-gi and also as Chuqualatague.

Doublehead was assassinated by other Cherokee's who were displeased with the dealings he had been making with the white settlers, according to the stories written in "Trail of Tears" bu John Ehle. Doublehead had enriched himself with bribes and gifts offered to induce the sale of Indian lands to the whites. He also set up stores and river crossing ferries, and built large farms which he worked wioth slaves, both black and Indian. He apparently gained much wealth from all of this. •Birth: ABT 1744 in Stearns, KY •Death: 9 AUG 1807 in Hiwasse River, TN

-------------------- Appears usually as "Doublehead" on all lists to 11/97. Doublehead's "home" appears to have been in and around Stearns, KY. He was associated with a place called "Sand Cliffs" which is "nearby to Stearns". Doublehead Cave is also reportedly

near Stearns. Doublehead Gap is within an hours drive, or less, of Stearns

The white men of the area called him Chief Doublehead. Tal-tsu'ska means "Two-heads". He was also known as Chuqualatague and Dsu-gwe-la-de-gi.

One theory says that he was killed by John Rogers, great grandfather of Will Rogers, for selling land to the white man.

I think Chuqualataque means Red Paint Claw of the Cherokees.

He was either born in Pulaski Co.,KY near Somerset. In the vicinity of the Cumberland River in Indian Nation or in Dunk Town,TN

Info from various internet sources. 1 in paticular, with much info on descendents is http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/i/cJames-R-Hicks/BOOK-0001/00 25-001.html. He uses much documentation from many books,ie,"Cherokee Tragedy";"Old Frontiers" by John P. Brown;"Indian Countryman" of Hiawassee; the Emmet Starr book on the Cherokee;and Don Chestnut's website-www.users.mis.net/ ~chestnut/pages/cherokee.htm

Chief Chugqualatague, or Doublehead, was the last Cherokee Chief to exercise control over the upper Cumberland plateau and was a lieutenant of Dragging Canoe. He was born near the present town of Somerset, KY, and had two known children by his wife who was reported to be of French-Indian extraction. These children were Cornblossom and Tuckaho.

Chief Doublehead was a brother of Chief Old Tassel, as well as Pumpkin Boy. After the signing of the Treaty of Hopewell in 1785, delegates from Congress were trying to keep the peace between the Cherokees and squatters on their lands. In June 1788, Old Tassel was killed by a renegade settler by the name of Kirk while under a flag of truce and war became unavoidable. Old Tassel's death united the Cherokees under Little Turkey, including the Chickamaugas under Dragging Canoe, who split from the other Cherokee tribes some time earlier. In May 1792, John Watts succeeded Dragging Canoe as War Chief with Doublehead as his second in command. In Sep 1893, Watts and Doublehead led a campaign against the white settlers.

A great atrocity was perpetrated on this campaign. Doublehead, his brother Pumpkin Boy, and their nephew Bench (Bob Benge) ambushed Capt. Overall, a known Indian fighter, and a companion named Burnett near Dripping Spring in KY. After they killed and scalped the two men, the Indians drank their whiskey, cut strips off the dead men, then roasted and devoured their flesh. At some time, Pumpkin Boy was killed on this campaign. John Sevier launched a campaign against the Cherokee towns and after a battle at Etowah, forced the Cherokees to sue for peace. Although another Treaty was signed in 1794, Brigadier General James Robertson had to tell Major James Ore to lead another campaign against the Chickamaugas before peace was restored.

In 1796, Chief Doublehead had become the Speaker for the Cherokee Nation and became the chief spokesman for all negotiations with the Federal government. There were 3 cessions made of Cherokee lands in 1798 and it was common knowledge that Doublehead had prospered as a result. By 1804, he had become a prosperous land owner with about two dozen slaves. The Secretary of War, Dearborn, in fact, had given instructions that all agents were to deal specifically with Doublehead on the assumption he could be bribed. In 1805, Dearborn had Col. Return Jonathan Meigs acquire several valuable tracts of land with the promise that two tracts at the mouth of the Clinch and Hiwasee Rivers be exclusively for Doublehead's use. To add fuel to the fire, Doublehead had also leased several tracts at Muscle Choals to white farmers from a treaty he signed in Dec. 1806.

By this time, a Cherokee faction led by James Vann, Major Ridge, and Alexander Saunders decided Doublehead should die for his crimes. Vann had a family score to settle. Doublehead had married a sister to Vann's wife and had treated her brutally, beating her to death while she was pregnant.

Therefore, the three men decided to execute the traitor in Aug. 1807, when the Cherokees collected the annual annuity from the Federal agent. However, on the way, Vann fell ill and could not continue.

On Aug. 9, 1807, Ridge and Saunders arrived at McIntosh's Tavern on the Hiwassee and waited for an opportunity. Doublehead had been playing ball 3 miles away where he had killed a man called Bone-Polisher who had become abusive. Therefore, he didn't arrive until after dark, half drunk. Suddenly, Ridge blew out the candle in the Tavern and fired a shot at Doublehead which shattered his jaw. Having thought they killed him, they slipped out into the dark.

However, they soon learned the tavernkeeper had moved the wounded Chief to his house and then again to the loft of a Mr. Black, who taught in Gideon Blackburn's school. By then, two men from Bone Polisher's clan had joined them and together they rushed the room where Doublehead lay. As they approached, the wounded chief sprang up, drew a dirk, and tried to draw a pistol but was caught up in the sheet around him. Both Ridge and Saunders leveled their guns at him but misfired. Doublehead then grappled with Ridge but Saunders drove his tomahawk into Doublehead's skull so hard that it took two hands and a foot to pry it loose. After the killing, most of the Cherokees felt it was justified and his relatives were not forced by clan responsibility to exact revenge. This led to the abolition of clan revenge at the Council of Broomstown on Sept. 11, 1808. However, James Vann was killed in 1809 possibly for his part in the execution."

Notes of Cora Mae Martin Shirley "The Roots of Yesterday" state that Doublehead died Aug 9, 1807 at Hiwasse Station, Indian Nation, Which later became the state of Tennessee.

Original Wayne Co. included "Prices Station" in "Prices Meadow" near Touristville, KY.-crossing on Cumberland river-Domain of Cherokee Indian Chief, CHUQALATAGUE, (Doublehead)

"Ancestors of Nancy Faye Gregory" quotes follows:

"Now, as for Chief Doublehead, I originally quoted the following from the "Jonathan Blevins" book which is partially inaccurate (concerning his death).

Chief Chugqualatague, or Doublehead, was the last Cherokee Chief to exercise control over the upper Cumberland plateau and was a lieutenant of Dragging Canoe. He was born near the present town of Somerset, KY, and had two known children by his wife who was reported to be of French-Indian extraction. These children were Cornblossom and Tuckaho.

I have found several good books on Cherokee history, some of which give a good account of the circumstances of Doublehead's death. They are "Cherokee Tragedy: The Ridge Family and the Decimation of a People", by Thurman Wilkins, 1986, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, "The Cherokees", by Grace Steele Woodward, 1963, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, and "Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Indian Nation", by John Ehle, 1988, Anchor Books (Doubleday). The first books gives the most detailed account and quotes two primary sources in its bibliography as follows:

1) The Deposition of Caleb Starr concerning the death of Doublehead, dated Aug. 11, 1838, in the National Archives, RG75, Office of Indian Affairs, Removal Records (Cherokee), First Board of Cherokee Commissioners files, Heirs of Doublehead for spoilations."

Notes of Cora Mae Martin Shirley "The Roots of Yesterday" state that Doublehead died Aug 9, 1807 at Hiwasse Station, Indian Nation, Which later became the state of Tennessee.

Original Wayne Co. included "Prices Station" in "Prices Meadow" near Touristville, KY.-crossing on Cumberland river-Domain of Cherokee Indian Chief, CHUQALATAGUE, (Doublehead)

"Ancestors of Nancy Faye Gregory" quotes follows:

"Now, as for Chief Doublehead, I originally quoted the following from the "Jonathan Blevins" book which is partially inaccurate (concerning his death).

Chief Chugqualatague, or Doublehead, was the last Cherokee Chief to exercise control over the upper Cumberland plateau and was a lieutenant of Dragging Canoe. He was born near the present town of Somerset, KY, and had two known children by his wife who was reported to be of French-Indian extraction. These children were Cornblossom and Tuckaho.

I have found several good books on Cherokee history, some of which give a good account of the circumstances of Doublehead's death. They are "Cherokee Tragedy: The Ridge Family and the Decimation of a People", by Thurman Wilkins, 1986, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, "The Cherokees", by Grace Steele Woodward, 1963, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, and "Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Indian Nation", by John Ehle, 1988, Anchor Books (Doubleday). The first books gives the most detailed account and quotes two primary sources in its bibliography as follows:

1) The Deposition of Caleb Starr concerning the death of Doublehead, dated Aug. 11, 1838, in the National Archives, RG75, Office of Indian Affairs, Removal Records (Cherokee), First Board of Cherokee Commissioners files, Heirs of Doublehead for spoilations."

2) "Col. Phillips' testimony relating to the death of Doublehead...Highwasee, Aug. 15, 1807", in National Archives, RG75, Records of the Cherokee Agency in Tennessee, M-208, Roll 3.....I will try to summarize as best I can.

Chief Doublehead was a brother of Chief Old Tassel, as well as Pumpkin Boy. After the signing of the Treaty of Hopewell in 1785, delegates from Congress were trying to keep the peace between the Cherokees and squatters on their lands. In June 1788, Old Tassel was killed by a renegade settler by the name of Kirk while under a flag of truce and war became unavoidable. Old Tassel's death united the Cherokees under Little Turkey, including the Chickamaugas under Dragging Canoe, who split from the other Cherokee tribes some time earlier. In May 1792, John Watts succeeded Dragging Canoe as War Chief with Doublehead as his second in command. In Sep 1893, Watts and Doublehead led a campaign against the white settlers.

A great atrocity was perpetrated on this campaign. Doublehead, his brother Pumpkin Boy, and their nephew Bench (Bob Benge) ambushed Capt. Overall, a known Indian fighter, and a companion named Burnett near Dripping Spring in KY. After they killed and scalped the two men, the Indians drank their whiskey, cut strips off the dead men, then roasted and devoured their flesh. At some time, Pumpkin Boy was killed on this campaign. John Sevier launched a campaign against the Cherokee towns and after a battle at Etowah, forced the Cherokees to sue for peace. Although another Treaty was signed in 1794, Brigadier General James Robertson had to tell Major James Ore to lead another campaign against the Chickamaugas before peace was restored.

In 1796, Chief Doublehead had become the Speaker for the Cherokee Nation and became the chief spokesman for all negotiations with the Federal government. There were 3 cessions made of Cherokee lands in 1798 and it was common knowledge that Doublehead had prospered as a result. By 1804, he had become a prosperous land owner with about two dozen slaves. The Secretary of War, Dearborn, in fact, had given instructions that all agents were to deal specifically with Doublehead on the assumption he could be bribed. In 1805, Dearborn had Col. Return Jonathan Meigs acquire several valuable tracts of land with the promise that two tracts at the mouth of the Clinch and Hiwasee Rivers be exclusively for Doublehead's use. To add fuel to the fire, Doublehead had also leased several tracts at Muscle Choals to white farmers from a treaty he signed in Dec. 1806.

By this time, a Cherokee faction led by James Vann, Major Ridge, and Alexander Saunders decided Doublehead should die for his crimes. Vann had a family score to settle. Doublehead had married a sister to Vann's wife and had treated her brutally, beating her to death while she was pregnant.

Therefore, the three men decided to execute the traitor in Aug. 1807, when the Cherokees collected the annual annuity from the Federal agent. However, on the way, Vann fell ill and could not continue.

On Aug. 9, 1807, Ridge and Saunders arrived at McIntosh's Tavern on the Hiwassee and waited for an opportunity. Doublehead had been playing ball 3 miles away where he had killed a man called Bone-Polisher who had become abusive. Therefore, he didn't arrive until after dark, half drunk. Suddenly, Ridge blew out the candle in the Tavern and fired a shot at Doublehead which shattered his jaw. Having thought they killed him, they slipped out into the dark.

However, they soon learned the tavernkeeper had moved the wounded Chief to his house and then again to the loft of a Mr. Black, who taught in Gideon Blackburn's school. By then, two men from Bone Polisher's clan had joined them and together they rushed the room where Doublehead lay. As they approached, the wounded chief sprang up, drew a dirk, and tried to draw a pistol but was caught up in the sheet around him. Both Ridge and Saunders leveled their guns at him but misfired. Doublehead then grappled with Ridge but Saunders drove his tomahawk into Doublehead's skull so hard that it took two hands and a foot to pry it loose. After the killing, most of the Cherokees felt it was justified and his relatives were not forced by clan responsibility to exact revenge. This led to the abolition of clan revenge at the Council of Broomstown on Sept. 11, 1808. However, James Vann was killed in 1809 possibly for his part in the execution."